On the Holy Rosary

"We Let Ourselves be Guided by Mary, the Model of Faith, in Meditating on the Mysteries of Christ"

October 07, 2012
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VATICAN CITY, OCT. 7, 2012 (Zenit.org).- Here is a translation of the address Benedict XVI gave Sunday before praying the midday Angelus at the conclusion of the Mass celebrated in St. Peter’s Square for the proclamation of St. John of Avila and St. Hildegard of Bingen as doctors of the Church and for the opening of the 13th ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops.

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[In Italian he said:]

Dear brothers and sisters,

Let us turn now in prayer to Mary Most Holy, whom we venerate today as Queen of the Holy Rosary. At this time at the shrine in Pompeii, the traditional “Supplication” is being prayed and joined in by countless people around the world. As we too spiritually associate ourselves with this choral invocation, I would like to propose that everyone make a special effort to pray the Rosary during the upcoming Year of Faith. With the Rosary, in fact, we let ourselves be guided by Mary, the model of faith, in meditating on the mysteries of Christ, and day after day we are helped to assimilate the Gospel so that it gives form to our whole life. Thus, following the lead of my predecessors, especially Blessed John Paul II, who gave us the apostolic letter “Rosarium Virginis Mariae” 10 years ago, I invite you to pray the Rosary personally, in the family and in community, placing ourselves in the school of Mary, who leads us to Christ, the living center of our faith.

[In English he said:]

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims here today! I ask all of you to pray for the work of the Synod on the New Evangelization, beginning today. Later this week, on the fiftieth anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, the Year of Faith begins. May these events confirm us in the beauty and joy of our faith in Jesus Christ which comes to us through the Church! Entrusting these intentions to our Lady of the Rosary, I invoke upon all of you God’s abundant blessings!